


The Chorus Tree

by ColorsofaYinYang



Series: dsmp fics [2]
Category: Dragon Quest XI, Minecraft (Video Game), Video Blogging RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe - Dragon Quest XI, Angst with a Happy Ending, Crossover, Gen, Humor, Insecurity, M/M, Platonic Relationships, Realistic Minecraft, Spoilers, Swearing, Team Dynamics, Team as Family, deffo flerting, idk what kind of universe this is anymore, not ship-centric
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-02
Updated: 2021-01-15
Packaged: 2021-03-11 00:14:16
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 7,569
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28245993
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ColorsofaYinYang/pseuds/ColorsofaYinYang
Summary: George is the chosen hero, but there's a problem: he has absolutely no clue what he's doing.Good thing he has a team to support him.
Relationships: Clay | Dream & GeorgeNotFound (Video Blogging RPF), Clay | Dream/GeorgeNotFound (Video Blogging RPF), Skeppy/Badboyhalo, Toby Smith | Tubbo & TommyInnit
Series: dsmp fics [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2130342
Comments: 8
Kudos: 20





	1. the luminary and the thief

**Author's Note:**

> I chucked the Dragon Quest plot, Dream SMP lore and Minecraft mechanics into a blender and turned it on high. You don't need to know anything about DQ in order to understand this btw.
> 
> Warnings: Will eventually contain spoilers for DQXI Act II and maybe Act III. These characters are all personas and not the real people. While there are shipping tags as an asexual writer I like to focus on intimate platonic relationships, so at the most I might throw in like, a kiss or two. All of my info on boundaries and stuff I've gotten from the tumblr smp-boundaries so if anyone's stance changes lmk with some evidence (like tweets or videos) so I can submit it to them. Thanks!
> 
> This idea was inspired by me watching the Drista stream and comparing her to Mia, and then my mind went "Dream = Erik??" and then I thought about how the town's name is literally Cobblestone and the rest just fleshed itself out.

So here’s the thing: George  _ knows _ he’s the Luminary. Even without the explanatory note from his birth parents, it would have been fairly obvious from the mark on his left hand that glows golden when he’s in danger. Not to mention the lightning that falls from the sky at his command.

And that’s all well and good, except George also knows that the Luminary is supposed to be this strong, talented young lad with loads of adventuring experience, not a bespectacled 20-something year old who still lives in his adoptive parent’s basement and has never been outside the small village he was raised in. Cobblestone’s great for learning about farming and animal husbandry; it’s not so great for learning about the world or how to defend yourself. 

He brings this up to Alyssa and Callahan the night before he leaves. They’re sitting underneath the tree at the center of town, listening to the wind in the branches and the sounds of the waterfall in the distance. Erdwin’s Lantern twinkles overhead, the crimson centerpiece of the cosmic canvas that is the night sky. “What if I fail whatever task I’m supposed to accomplish?” He asks.

Alyssa rolls her eyes and punches him in the shoulder hard enough to sting. “It’s only failure if you give up afterwards,” she says lightly. “And you’re the most stubborn guy I know.” In the dark it’s hard to see what Callahan is signing, but the reassuring touch to George’s arm conveys his message well enough. George sighs.

“I dunno, it just feels like I’m being thrown into the deep end. Like, I know I’m not the best person to be chosen for the job. How am I meant to do what I need to do if I don’t even know what that thing is?”

“It’s not like you to think so hard, George,” Alyssa teases. Callahan reaches over to pat his head, ruffling his hair a bit. George squints at his other hand in the twilight, trying to interpret what he’s signing. “That note from your parents said to go visit the king, right? Maybe he’ll be able to tell you what’s up. And Callahan’s right, if you’re ever feeling lost you can always come back and hang with us for a bit. Who knows, by then maybe I’ll have actually made some progress on my swordsmanship. Then we could all go adventuring together!”

“I guess you’re right,” George gives them a faint half-smile. “It doesn’t sound half bad when you put it like that.” He’s not  _ entirely  _ convinced that being chosen is a good thing, but it’s true that seeing the king might give him some leads on what to do. Who knows, maybe the Luminary’s grand task is to herd some magical cattle or something.

Ha. If only.

~

They say their farewells the next day, with teary eyes and wide smiles. Callahan’s family (his adoptive family) hugs him before he goes, while Alyssa gives him a handmade good-luck charm.  _ Stay safe,  _ Callahan signs.

Beckerson whinnies as George hops on his back, and then they’re off to the castle. Together they weave through the Slime-filled fields and down the overgrown path toward the city of Heliodor. The fresh fall breeze blows through George’s hair as he rides, tousling the brown locks into a messy, windswept look. With wide and curious eyes he takes in the shining blue river winding through the valley- cottontops growing along its banks- the spindly branches of pink pine trees reaching heavenwards, and the wisps of fog encircling the mountains in the distance.

The city walls loom ominously as they approach. George warily directs Beckerson between the two guards stationed outside, purposefully averting his gaze from the spears they are both holding. The public stables are the first thing he sees, so he hops off Beckerson and hands over his reins to the stable boy along with a few gold coins. Then he follows the flow of the crowd.

A few musicians are playing near the city plaza, sending a cheery tune dancing through the air. Two children chase each other around the fountain, laughing and yelling at each other. He wanders around for a while, taking in the wondrous sights of the large city. Just the experience of peeking into shops and being surrounded by so many people is a bit overwhelming. Cobblestone doesn’t even have half the population of Heliodor.

There are quite a lot of guards patrolling, he notices. Guess it makes sense that a larger city would have higher crime rates than a small village, and therefore would need a larger military presence. He tries to stay out of their way as much as possible.

Taking the stairs up to the higher part of town, he marvels at the intricately designed mansions built right in front of the castle. This is definitely the richer part of the city. Standing at the entrance to the castle is a large golden statue of the Ender Dragon, an homage to the deity that supposedly watches over the land from above. George nods his head at the statue in deference before making the trek up the large staircase and to the castle gates.

The guards laugh when he tells them he’s the Luminary, but they stop when he shows them the mark. “Wait here,” one of them says, and a few minutes later he returns to beckon George forward. “Follow me. The king wants to see you.”

Anxiety bubbles in the pit of his stomach as he follows the guard through the richly decorated halls and to the throne room. Inside, two striking figures and an entourage of guards are standing at attention with the king lounging on his throne. 

The figure on the left is a woman with curly white hair, sheep ears and a dazzling rainbow-colored chestplate, who raises her eyebrows as he approaches. The figure on the right is an intimidating pink-haired man with tusks and pointed ears. He’s wearing a full set of dark armor along with a red cape that brushes his ankles as he turns to watch George stop and kneel. In the center sits the king in his business suit, somehow looking more untouchable than the two heavily armed knights by his side. His horns curl downwards, giving his face a sharp and dangerous look.

“So,” the king drawls. “Lemme see that mark.” George nervously holds up his hand. “Aha… well, how about that. Where did you say you were from, again?”

“Er, Cobblestone, your highness.” The king chuckles lowly.

“You hear that, Techno? Why don’t you drop by with a thank-you gift for the wonderful village that raised the Luminary? Or should I say… Darkspawn.” There’s a menacing tone to his voice. He sends a glance George’s way. “Oh and, it’s Mr. President to you.” The pink-haired man grunts and shrugs, gesturing for a few guards to follow him. They file out silently, and when George turns back to look at the king there’s a sword pointed at his throat.

“No hard feelings, buddy,” the rainbow woman says. “But we can’t have you running around like this.” The remaining guards form a circle around him, preventing him from escaping. 

Wide-eyed, George scans the room for a way out, but he can’t come up with any methods of escape. He’s alone and only armed with a sword, so he can’t fight. It’s not like he’s particularly skilled at combat anyway, but… He sends a panicked and confused look the king’s way. “What’s going on? What did I do?!” 

“It’s nothing personal, man. Listen,” he folds his hands. “You coming here today means that the Dark One is going to be resurrected. It’s like ordering Taco Bell: you know that things are going to go to shit as soon as you eat that burrito supreme. Except you’re the burrito, and we’re not buying it. Or- something like that. Anyways,” he waves his hand nonchalantly. “Captain Puffy, bring him down to the dungeons. When Techno gets back we’ll decide what to do with him.”

“Yes, Mr. President!” Two guards grab his arms and start to march him toward the door. George rolls his eyes and sighs.

“You’re joking.”

~

“Ugh! I actually can’t believe this.” Frustrated, George knocks over one of the two pots in his cell. “I didn’t even do anything…” He sinks to the ground with his back to the wall, internally cringing at the grime on the floor.

A faint snicker echoes through the dungeon. Suddenly very alert, George scans the area for the source. Squinting, he sees a person in the cell across from him, half-hidden in the shadows. “You sure about that?” The stranger asks. Their face is concealed by a hood. “You don’t get free food and board down here without having done something pretty bad.”

George sulks. “Apparently not,” he responds saltily. “They take one look at the mark on my hand and boom, I’m being thrown in here.” The stranger perks up at that and glances over.

“Wait, wait. There’s no way, right?” They mumble to themselves. Then, to George, “You, uh, wouldn’t happen to be the Luminary by any chance?”

One eyebrow raises in surprise. “If I say yes, are you going to instantly hate me too?” George asks dryly. The other jumps to their feet and peers through the bars at him.

“No way. Are you for real? Holy shit…” They sound almost stunned. “So the Seer was right…” Before George can respond, the sound of heavy footsteps sounds down the stone stairs. The stranger shakes their head and holds up a finger. “Sorry, one sec.”

The guard strides down the hall with a tray balanced in his hands. “One fresh serving of gruel for the guy in the cell!” He taunts the stranger, setting the food down on the floor. Under the hood, George can see the other’s mouth twist into a sinister smile. With one swift punch he knocks the guard clean out through the bars, then snags the keys from his unconscious body.

“F,” George comments, feeling a bit vindictive. The stranger chuckles a bit at that, unlocking both his own cell door and George’s with a swift twist of his wrist. He disappears down the hall for a few seconds before returning with two burlap bags.

“Here, this must be yours.” He hands over one of the bags. Out of his own he pulls two objects: a white mask and an axe. Securing the axe to his back, he then turns around and swiftly dons the mask. “I’ll explain what’s happening later, but for now we’d better get going.” He goes back into his cell and rolls up the bedroll, revealing a crudely dug hole in the floor. “Ladies first.”

George stops and turns to look at him for a second in silence. Then he pushes him in. The stranger wheeze-laughs as he falls. With one last eyeroll George jumps in after.

They land in what appears to be a sewer system. A foul odor rises from the canals, while the whole place is lit solely by torchlight. The masked stranger glances around and hums. “Not exactly where I thought we’d be, but we can make it work.” He waves his hand. “Keep your voice down and follow me.” 

Together they scurry through the sewers. George keeps his ears perked for any sounds of life besides them and the rats that occasionally cross their path. As they round a corner the stranger yanks him back by the collar of his shirt. “Hold on. There’s someone there.” Peeking around the corner, George spies a few guards patrolling the area.

“They’re around here somewhere,” one of the guards says to another. The stranger makes a disgusted sound.

“Ugh, they already noticed we’re gone. Alright, here’s the deal. Just do what I do, okay?” The stranger grins and slinks around the corner just as the first guard is turning around. He gracefully hops over one of the crates stacked up on the side, then does a roll into a crouch in order to avoid being spotted by the second guard. After a few seconds he darts to a row of empty barrels and parkours over them, landing silently in the last barrel. George feels his jaw drop.

_ I can’t do that!  _ He mouths at the mask sticking out of the barrel. It cocks to the side in confusion.  _ You’re joking, right? _

The stranger’s shoulders come up in a shrug. With a sigh, George accepts his fate.  _ Alright, fine.  _ He waits until the first guard isn’t looking and sprints to the crates, making the first jump over just fine. However, when he hits the ground he fumbles the landing; his attempt at the roll is closer to a pancake splat than anything. Dazed, he raises his head just in time to see the stranger throw a couple rocks across the canal, effectively distracting the guards. George scrambles towards the barrels and the stranger hops out to join him in running around the next corner to safety.

“What the hell?!” George hisses, wiping the dirt off his goggles. The stranger wheezes again, shoulders shaking with mirth. “We are never doing that again.” 

Keeping a close eye out, they continue further into the sewers. A breeze rustles George’s hair and their clothes as they walk, a promising sign that an exit might be coming up shortly. After a few minutes of sneaking around, the sewers open up into a large, dark cavern. The masked stranger raises a finger to his mask and points toward the center of the room. There, lying in a heap of teeth and scales is a large black dragon.

Why the fuck is there a dragon under the castle, George thinks. Then he stops thinking, because there’s a large glowing red eye staring right at him. “Move!” Mask-man tackles him to the ground just as the dragon snaps its jaws closed inches from where they are. “Hurry, let’s go!” He grabs George’s hand and tugs him to his feet. Behind them, the dragon roars and thumps after them.

Dodging bolts of fire and falling rocks, George’s heart beats wildly in his chest as he stumbles after the stranger. “Oh my god, oh my god, oh my god!” He mutters panickedly. Up ahead he spots a flash of natural light. An exit?!

They dash outside into the bright sunlight just as a final fireball whizzes past them, exploding in a burst of brimstone and ash. But just as it all looks like it’s going to be fine, more shouting catches their attention. “They’re over here!” A guard yells from a path to their right, and the rest begin to advance on them.

They’re on a cliff, with only a sheer drop and a waterfall behind them. “If they catch us, we’ll be dead before sunset,” the masked stranger says with a serious tone. He takes a few steps backward.

“You’re not actually thinking of-”

The stranger’s maniacal laughter cuts him off. “You’re the Luminary! You have all the plot armor in the world,” he explains. With a single hand he pulls off his hood, exposing a mess of dirty-blonde curls. “My name’s Dream. Figured you probably want to know the name of the guy you’re jumping off a cliff with.”

“I’m George.” He peers over the edge. “Uh, here goes nothing I guess…” The guards advance with their spears pointed menacingly at them. George takes a deep breath, grabs Dream’s hand, and jumps.

The last thing that he hears before he hits the water below is the sound of his own shrieking. What a great start to his adventure.


	2. drem angery

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dream POV!

_George is pretty_ , Dream thinks, letting his gaze wander from those delicate eyelashes to the faint tan lines around where the glasses would be. Then he snorts. _Pretty loud, at least._ His ears are still ringing from that head-splittingly shrill scream.

One finger idly traces the sharp edge of his axe, a comforting movement. That had been a pretty far drop. It’s a miracle they survived at all, let alone uninjured. Luminary plot armor must be insane. He sits back in his chair and sighs, propping his chin up in his hand. If what the Seer said was true… his fate lies with the unconscious brunette before him. 

The door creaks open and Dream’s halfway up with his axe poised to swing when he realizes it’s just Ponk. “How’s your friend doing?” The doctor asks, unphased by the weapon lifted intimidatingly in his direction. “We should probably wake him up so he can take some of these.” He waves a bundle of medicinal herbs in the air.

Dream lowers the axe and nods. “Thanks, I can take care of it.” They exchange glances as the herbs are handed over, a sign of mutual respect.

“Where’s Punz gotten off to, by the way? Did a job go south or something?” George tenses ever so slightly in the corner of his vision. _Is he just pretending to be asleep?_

“I haven’t heard from him since I got caught,” Dream responds, carefully avoiding looking at the brunette. “Although, I’ll be heading back into the city soon so if I see him I’ll let him know you said hi.” Ponk grimaces.

“Thanks. And keep your head down, yeah? That place is crawling with guards.” With that, he turns and closes the door behind him. Dream waits for a moment before glancing over to George once more.

“I know you’re awake.” Brown eyes blink open petulantly to glare at him. “What, having second thoughts about allying with a criminal? Let me remind you, you’re technically on the run too.” 

The other sits up and fumbles around for his glasses on the bedside table. “I know that,” he says sourly. “Sorry for not immediately trusting the guy I literally met in jail.” 

Dream snorts. “You didn’t have much of a problem when we held hands and jumped off a cliff together,” he teases. George’s cheeks redden and he scrunches his nose.

“That’s different!” He protests. “I didn’t have much of a choice, did I? Besides,” he continues, “It’s kinda sus that you knew who I was right away. So, what’s up with that?”

“Is it weird to say I was expecting you?” Dream plucks one of the fresher-looking herbs out of the bundle and dangles it in George’s direction. “Here, eat this while I explain.” The brunette narrows his eyes at him but grudgingly takes the herb and starts to nibble on it. “So long story short, I’ve been a thief for a long time, right? And one day this guy comes up to me, calls himself the Seer, and tells me to steal this random orb. He says if I do that, I’ll meet the Luminary. Obviously I wasn’t expecting to be caught, but I get thrown in the dungeons and lo and behold, you show up just a day later.” Dream gives him a small smile. “If that’s not fate, I don’t know what is.”

“And you just listened to this guy?” George chuckles. “You sure you’re as smart as you think you are?” Dream lightly smacks his arm and scoffs in mock-offense.

“Hey now, do you want my help or not, Mr. Luminary? Getting past those guards isn’t going to be easy with those two left feet of yours.” 

“Ugh… I guess… it’d be nice to have you on my side,” George mumbles, face still slightly pink. Dream fistpumps. “But hold on! Why do you want to head back to Heliodor?” 

“I hid the orb in a secret location downtown. I know it’s not important to you, but it’d just be a quick detour to pick it up and then we can head out. Uh, actually, do you have any plans for where you want to go?” 

George hums, a shadow falling across his face. “I’d like to check up on my hometown. The king sent one of his knights out there… I’m worried he might have done something.” 

_Oh Ender. That’s not good._ Dream grimaces. “They sent the Blade? That’s… a problem. We’ll have to be extra careful, then. Let’s stick to the backroads, we can make a break for Cobblestone as soon as we pick up the orb then.” George nods and swings his legs over the side of the bed, wobbling as he stands. 

Ponk is hunched over a desk in the cabin’s main room, sorting through a basket of lemons. He waves to the two of them as they exit the bedroom. “Good to see you’re alive,” he greets George. “Are you heading out already?” 

“Yeah, the longer we stay here the more we put you in danger,” Dream responds. He flips his hood up and pats Ponk’s shoulder. “Thanks again.” 

“Stay safe.” 

George thanks Ponk as well before following Dream outside. It’s a beautiful day. The dawn’s tentative rays glint off the morning dew in a dazzling display of light. Rummaging around in his bag, Dream pulls out a faded blue cloak and hands it to George. “We should keep the hoods on so we don’t get instantly recognized.” 

The brunette acquiesces and puts the cloak on. The little string on the front is tangled, so Dream instinctively reaches over to help him out. Head bent, he’s so intent on unravelling the knots that he doesn’t realize how close they are until he glances up and notices how flustered George looks. “Sorry, sorry,” he quickly ties the string neatly and steps back. “Let’s go.”

The trip back to Heliodor is mostly uneventful, save for a few fights with some monsters. George isn’t the strongest fighter, it seems, but he’s good enough that Dream can safely trust him with his back. “Watch out!” George calls, deflecting an arrow from a Bodkin Archer. Dream grunts an affirmative, swinging his axe with a satisfying crunch into a Platypunk’s skull. Glancing over his shoulder, he watches as George sticks his sword through the other monster and pulls it out. “Ugh, gross.” He then proceeds to wipe the blood off onto the grass. 

_Strange. It’s like he’s never been on the road before._ Dream almost never cleans off his weapons until he’s settled in for the night; it doesn’t make sense to when they’re constantly fighting off monsters. He supposes George must not be used to regular combat. Understandable, since he comes from such a small village. 

Maybe that’s why Dream was chosen to help him.

Downtown Heliodor is just as sketchy as he remembers it, but it also has that familiar feeling of home. Little children in rags hop from plank to plank above, unafraid of falling. Dream waves at a few of them, having taught them parkour before. They shout and wave back, staring curiously at George who gives them a cautious smile. 

“There’s a huge trash pile at the center of town. That’s where I hid it,” Dream says. He gestures toward the heap of metal and plastic. “Cover me while I look?” 

“Alright.” Keeping a careful eye out for any potential witnesses, Dream slinks over to the pile and starts nudging debris with his foot, not wanting to get anything unsavory on his fingerless gloves. “It should be around here…” The orb was in a lime-colored pouch, easy to spot if one knows what they’re looking for. But Dream isn’t seeing it. “Hold on. It’s not here.” Then it hits him. “NO. Did Punz sell me out?!”

He whirls around in a flurry of barely-contained rage. George flinches, but he pays it no mind, too focused on planning exactly what he’s going to do to his former partner-in-crime. “PURPLED!” He roars. The hoodie-clad child drops down from a rope above.

“Hey Dream, what’s up?” He greets casually. George makes a confused, strangled sound.

“Where. Is. Punz.” Dream is not fucking around anymore. His fingers curl around the handle of his axe. Normally they itch for trinkets and coins, but now? Now they itch for blood. Purpled shrugs.

“Haven’t seen him in a while. Last I heard he opened up a shop near the castle.”

“Rent up there is pricey… He must have sold the orb.” Dream growls. “That backstabbing little freak-”

Man, I miss hanging out with you guys,” Purpled rambles over him, swinging over to perch on a small ledge. He kicks his feet and frowns. “Hey wait a second, didn’t you get arrested recently?” Then a realization crosses over his face. “No way, are you two the fugitives everyone’s looking for?”

“Keep it down, will you?” George grumbles, looking worried. Purpled mimics zipping his lips and throwing away the key.

Gritting his teeth, Dream nods at the kid. “Thanks for the info. See ya around.” He tosses a few coins up. Purpled snatches them out of the air and salutes, dropping down to a rooftop and parkouring out of sight. Dream turns to his companion. “Alright. Slight detour, but we can manage. There’s a secret tunnel we can go through to get to the upper part of town. Just follow me.” 

The crowd of drunkards and ruffians parts in the face of Dream’s menacing aura. He makes his way to the hidden ladder on the northern city wall and starts climbing the rungs nimbly, two at a time. George trails behind him, doing his best to keep up. Punz’s shop is easy to spot, the newest-looking building by far. Grasping his axe, Dream smirks and slams the door open.

“Nice place,” he comments to the man sitting behind the counter. “Too bad you won’t be here any longer to appreciate it.” With that, he lunges at Punz, who blocks the blow with the shaft of his trident. 

“Whoa, dude, hold on!” Dream ignores him, pressing his advantage by leaping up onto the display case for the high ground. “I was trying to help you, damnit!” 

“Dream!” George is tugging at the hem of his jacket, pulling him back. “He doesn’t want to fight. Please.” Punz nods in agreement, giving him a frantic wide-eyed look. With a sigh he lowers his axe and yanks the trident from Punz’s hands, tossing it to the other side of the room with a clatter. He spares a second to raise an eyebrow at George, who has the decency to look apologetic, before turning back to Punz with a blank glare.

“Explain.”

“Look, I’m not good at making plans like you. There was no way I was going to be able to break you out of that prison. So I had to improvise. I turned the orb in for the reward, said I found it somewhere. Then I used that money to open this shop so I could have a reliable source of income, so I could bribe the guards into letting you out.” Punz looks him in the eyes. “I’m glad you made it. Honestly.”

All the anger fades out, leaving just weary resignation. “Alright. I believe you.” Dream crosses his arms. “But I still need to know where the orb is now.”

Punz nods. “Figured you’d want it back, so I kept track of it. I heard Captain Puffy brought it to the Kingsbarrow.” He holds out his hand. “Are we, uh, cool?”

After a moment of hesitation, Dream shakes his hand. “Yeah. We’re cool.” George nudges him in the ribs with his elbow. “Sorry about doubting you. Ponk says hi, by the way.”

“I get it, man. Good luck, and stay safe. Tell Ponk I said hi back.” He waves to the both of them as they exit the shop.

Movement near the entrance to the city catches Dream’s eye; a large group of guards is patrolling the area. “Let’s head back the way we came,” he tells George, who is staying unusually quiet. “If we cut through the Manglegrove, we can drop by Cobblestone on our way to the Kingsbarrow.”

The brunette just nods, looking a bit distracted. Concern wells up in Dream’s chest. He turns more fully to face him, eyes scanning for injuries. “What’s wrong? Are you hurt?”

Surprise flashes across George’s face for a second before his expression morphs into exasperated fondness. “I’m fine, Dream. Just worried about my friends, is all.”

It doesn’t sound entirely like the truth, but Dream’s not gonna pry. “Whatever you say. Let’s head out, then.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> By the way, I love the SBI dynamic but I agree with Techno that having them be family makes it a lot more awkward for them to be enemies. So in this story Techno is not related to the rest of the sleepy bois. Don't worry he will still have the big brother dynamic though lol.


	3. cobblestone is just broken stone

Rumor has it the Manglegrove is full of terrible beasts, and that people who go in never come out. So George is understandably concerned when Dream nonchalantly suggests that they cut through in order to get to Cobblestone.

George isn’t really quite sure what to make of Dream. One minute he’s being all intimidating and threatening someone with an axe, the next he’s gently holding George’s hand and asking him if he’s alright. He snaps back and forth between personalities faster than George can even process. Is he just pretending to be kind? Or is his scary side an act? Are either personas even real?

He decides it doesn’t matter, at least not now. Dream is a strong ally, and George knows he can’t do this alone. The blonde may or may not be trustworthy, but after escaping from a dragon together George thinks he deserves a chance to prove himself. 

The jungle air is thick and humid in his lungs as they trudge along through the underbrush, fighting off mosquitoes and clinging vines. A lone rope bridge spans the width over a lower, monster-infested part of the jungle and George desperately holds onto the side as it sways in the wind. They cross as carefully as they can, not wanting to make any risky moves. Relief sinks in when they finally make it to the other side without much fuss.

Ahead, George spots a small campsite in the middle of a clearing. It’s a convenient spot to take a break, so he nudges Dream and points it out. The other nods and agrees that it might be a good idea to rest for a moment and heal up. 

As they make their way over, George’s foot catches on something and he tumbles head-over-heels into the brush. He manages to catch himself on a large, odd-looking plant: a purple-ish tendril that’s protruding from the ground. When his fingers make contact, the symbol on his hand starts glowing, and he only has a second to think  _ oh shit  _ before a wave of dizziness overcomes him.

~

_ A grove of trees. A group of men. The sound of blades being sharpened. “We jump the next poor traveller that stops here,” someone says giddily. “Against the three of us, they won’t stand a chance.”  _

_ Bushes rustling. A menacing snicker. And then… silence. _

~

“-eorge…” He can hear Dream muttering, his tone worried. With a groan he attempts to sit up, shaking off the last of the dizziness.

“What was that?” George says to himself, looking around. Dream perks up from where he’s sitting by the campfire and rushes over to tend to him.

“Thank Ender, you’re awake. How’s your head? Anything hurt?” Leaves crunch as he kneels by George’s side, assisting him in sitting up and handing him a canteen of water. The sensation of cool liquid running down his throat helps to snap him out of his daze.

Blinking, he looks around wide-eyed at their surroundings. They’re smack-dab in the middle of the campsite, flames flickering gently in the fire pit and sending shadows dancing along the forest floor. A growing sense of unease fastens itself to the inside of his stomach.

“That plant I touched… it did something to me,” George responds, turning his hand over to look at the now-dim mark. “I saw something- it was a big jumble, I dunno- just a bunch of sounds and images all blended together.” A shiver runs up the back of his spine. “There were these guys that were talking about ambushing someone, right here.” 

Dream stiffens. George watches his hand slowly drift toward the handle of his axe. “That was a Chorus Root,” he says quietly and deliberately. “It’s safe to assume that you being the Luminary gives you a connection to the tree that chose you. She must be telling us something.” And then he whirls around and chucks his axe into the brush.

A loud, piercing shriek pierces through the air as Dream lunges in after his weapon. George shakily jumps to his feet and grabs his sword, preparing to fight. Two men in leather armor emerge from in-between two trees on the opposite end of the clearing, wielding worn-looking blades. They split up and circle around George slowly, keeping their eyes on him at all times.

One darts in and George blocks the blow with his own sword, swiftly sidestepping the second attack that comes shortly after. He feigns left and manages a swipe on the first man’s side, slicing through the leather enough to draw blood. The first man hisses and retreats a few steps, while the second man picks up the slack. He swings at George’s feet, forcing him to stumble backwards and into a tree. The brunette has to duck to avoid the next attack, heart rapidly thumping in his chest. It’s a 2v1. Where the hell is Dream?!

His question is answered with a call from the other side of the campsite. “Hey!” All three of them turn to look. Dream’s dragging a body behind him, bloody fingerprints crimson on his mask. He stops at the edge of the fire and points his axe at the two men. “I’d back away from him if I were you. Unless you want to watch me eviscerate and then burn your brother’s face off.” He lets the unconscious man’s arm drop and stares blankly at them, waiting for a response.

_ What the fuck.  _ George can see the panic in their eyes as they immediately start to walk away. Dream watches them back off, staring them down, before leaving the body and striding over to George. “You should probably bring him to a medic,” he tells them firmly. “That gash in his shoulder’s not going to feel very nice when he wakes up. Now get out of here.” 

The first man picks up the unconscious one and they scurry off towards the edge of the jungle. George gives Dream a slack-jawed look. “Were you actually going to kill him?” He asks quietly, half-afraid of the response.

“Eh,” Dream shrugs, then glances over at his expression. “Probably not,” he amends. “But if I hadn’t scared them like that they probably would have come back and found new victims.” He looks down at his bloody hands and grimaces. “Good thing you had that vision, otherwise they would have had the jump on us. I’ll go wash off real quick, then let’s get out of this place.”

George watches him go to the nearby stream silently, mind racing. It’s not like he had doubted he was the Luminary before, but this vision had firmly cemented that he was chosen by the Chorus Tree. He has a role to play, a destiny to fulfill. The pressure is on.

They make their way through the rest of the Manglegrove in relative peace. There are a few monsters that try to attack them, but they are easily dispatched with a few swings of Dream’s axe. The blonde is still on high alert, George can tell. There’s a tension in his shoulders that wasn’t there before, and he keeps glancing around like he expects enemies to come from every direction. 

The faint yet acrid scent of smoke wafts by as they approach Cobblestone. Dread starts to pol in the pit of George’s stomach, forcing him to pick up the pace of his steps. As they crest the ridge over town, a sight meets his eyes that makes him stop in his tracks.

Fire and destruction. The smouldering wreckage of a town that was once his home. Toppled wooden beams and crumbling walls are all that’s left. Shards of smashed pottery lay scattered across the fields, edges sharp and glinting in the sunlight. George can’t breathe. 

He sinks to the ground slowly, eyes still trained on the ruins in disbelief. All of it, gone, just like that… Dream steps in front of him, crouching down to eye level and reaching out to grab his hand. “Hey. Breathe with me.” He holds George’s hand to his chest, so he can feel the rise and fall. George spends what feels like an eternity just sitting there, trying to get his lungs to match the rhythm. There are cooling tear tracks running down his cheeks, he notes absently.

After a long while he manages to calm down enough to shakily stand back up. “Why would they do this…” he asks. Dream shakes his head.

“It’s fucked up no matter the reason.” His voice is tight, strained with anger. “You, your town… they didn’t deserve this.” He sighs and smoothes a comforting hand down George’s shoulder. “On the plus side, it looks like everyone was unharmed.”

“How can you tell?” Dream gestures to the carnage. 

“You said they sent the Blade, right? Techno?” George nods. “He’s the kind of guy who slaughters without hesitation. But there aren’t any bodies here, or blood for that matter. So we can safely assume that there wasn’t any fighting. Everyone must have been moved somewhere else.” 

That should have made George feel slightly better, but instead he feels even more guilty. What if he hadn’t left? What if he had heeded the warning signs, stayed away from the king- president- that had him thrown in the dungeons? His home, his friends, they would all still be here instead of locked away somewhere in Heliodor. Maybe they’re in the dungeons too, rotting away in a cell below the castle. 

It’s all his fault. But he leans into Dream’s touch anyway. Because the grief makes him feel like he’s drowning, and even if he doesn’t deserve the comfort, he still needs it like air. Dream’s thumb rubs soothing circles into the back of his neck, and he breathes. He breathes.

Eventually he works up the courage to walk further into town. The church, while trashed on the inside, is the only structure still standing. A lonely, empty monument to the town that once was. Following the stream, there’s a black, gaping hole in one of the bridges, the edges still smoking. George’s not really sure what could have made it. He’s not sure he wants to know.

The pair ends up standing in front of the tree at the center of town. It was the spot George used to meet Alyssa and Callahan at on their free days. A few branches are singed but the tree itself is largely untouched. Dream hangs back while George steps closer, running a hand along the bark with a sort of bittersweet fondness.

A slip of white hidden in a nook of the tree catches his eye. With trembling hands he reaches for the note and unfolds it.  _ George,  _ it starts, in Callahan’s neat handwriting.  _ You might not ever see this, but we hope you will. One of the king’s knights came by and told us you were evil and that he had to destroy our town. He looked like he might have killed us but a second knight came by and told him she’d take care of us. We’re being moved out to Heliodor soon. She said we’ll be considered temporary citizens? So don’t worry about us, we’re safe. And for the record, nobody here believes that you’re evil. We all know you’re doing your best to save the world, or whatever the Luminary does. You’ve got this, man. Love you lots. _ At the bottom are Callahan and Alyssa’s signatures, the latter with a small heart beside it. George chokes and carefully folds the note back up, putting it safely in his pocket. He pulls his goggles off and wipes away the tears with the back of his hand.

“Hey.” Dream’s voice is soft. “I know this must be hard for you. But we should keep moving. Staying here… isn’t going to help anything.” George sniffs and nods, closing his eyes for a brief moment. When he reopens them, there’s a determination simmering that wasn’t there before.

“Right. Let’s go get your orb, then.”

~

The Emerald Coast is far too pretty for the mix of emotions swirling in George’s head. The pristine white-sand beaches and crystal blue waters do nothing to erase the memory of ash and cracked bricks; likewise, even the cleansing scent of sea salt in the breeze can’t overpower the smell of smoke. George stares straight ahead and powers through the meadow of beach grass, with Dream trailing behind him. The blonde is acting a bit more reserved than usual. It pisses George off. He’s not  _ that _ fragile.

After a long flight of stairs, they finally make it to the entrance of the Kingsbarrow. _ For a royal vault, it sure doesn’t have many guards around it _ , George notes. The reason for this becomes clear once they step foot inside.

“Um...” Lying in the dust are the corpses of four guards, their limbs tangled at obscene angles. Large claw marks have gouged out gashes in their chests, blood still wet. “What the hell happened here?”

An inhuman screech echoes from deeper in the vault. The hair on the back of George’s neck stands up. Dream turns his head slowly and shifts his weight. “There are monsters here,” he says. 

“Yeah, no shit,” George responds.

They creep through the halls silently, avoiding Smogs and Little Devils as much as possible. The air is stale and damp inside, as though it hasn’t been touched in many years. Flickering torchlight illuminates the stone walls and the further they go in, the darker it seems to get. 

In the deepest chamber, two winged beasts are about to leave with the orb when Dream and George step out to confront them. The Grim Gryphons’ claws are red with blood, verifying them as the killers. Surprisingly, instead of reaching for his classic iron axe, Dream pulls out a fishing rod.

Wielding it similar to a whip, he lashes out at the larger of the two monsters, catching it across the eye with the hook. It reels back and screeches in pain, glaring with its remaining eye at the two of them. George swipes with his sword at the second Gryphon, slicing part of its wing. It snaps with its beak at George, and the first one uses the opportunity to graze George’s side with its claw. Wincing, the brunette falls back and chokes down a Medicinal Herb as Dream moves to cover him. With a flick of the wrist the masked man manages to tangle the wire around one of the Gryphon’s wings. He pulls it off balance and decapitates it swiftly with his axe.

Grimacing at the bitter taste of the herb, George charges forward and finishes the second Gryphon with a sword through the chest. The two corpses fall over with a satisfying thud. With a sigh of relief, George and Dream exchange glances before turning to the Red Orb sitting innocently on the pedestal. 

“Ugh… finally. This was way too annoying to get.” Dream plucks it from its stand and stows it safely away in his bag. “Alright, any plans on where you want to go next?” George shakes his head bitterly. He doesn’t even know what he’s supposed to be doing, let alone where to go. “In that case, let’s head towards Gondolia. I know a shortcut around here. From there we can try to get a boat, and then we’ll be able to travel around and figure out what your divine Luminary task is.”

“We?” 

Dream tilts his head. “What, you’re not getting rid of me that easily.” He slings an arm around George’s shoulders as they start to walk. “The Seer told me to stay with you, and that’s what I’m going to do. Besides, you seem like you need all the help you can get.” Leaning in, his tone changes to a more teasing one. “Also, you’re short.”

“I am not short!” George protests, ears turning red. “I am average height!” 

“Shortie~” 

“You’re just tall, okay, I’m not short-” He’s interrupted by a whinny and the sound of synchronized stomping. They whirl around to see the Blade on a dark brown horse, flanked by a group of soldiers. He points a crossbow at them.

“You really thought you were getting away?” His red cape is blowing dramatically in the wind. “If you wish to outsmart me, train for another 100 years!” Pulling a dark-bladed sword out, he starts to charge towards them.

Dream grabs George’s hand and yanks him forward. “Hurry! The shortcut is this way!” He starts to run toward the cliff where an old marble gazebo is standing. George stumbles after him, clumsily dodging the crossbow bolt that embeds itself in the ground inches away from his feet. A sharp pain shoots up his side from the claw wound as he runs for his life.

They make it to the gazebo unharmed and Dream tears through his bag looking for something. Just as the Blade is about to reach them he pulls out a dark blue stone and holds it up. “See ya!” With a sound like cracking glass, the stone shatters into a million pieces and the world spins before going dark.

The Blade scowls with his tusks bared as they disappear into thin air.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You may be thinking, why is Technoblade the anarchist working as a knight for the king? It will be explained in due time :) Although I agree it is a bit OOC.

**Author's Note:**

> I've been having a bit of creator's block recently, and Rising, Rising by Crywolf (the song that inspired the title) as well as Something Comforting by Porter Robinson have been helping me through it. 
> 
> I've tried to make all spoken lines in this story easy to hear in their voices, so I hope that worked! George appreciation!!
> 
> (Also, I may or may not make a discord server in the future for minecraft roleplay similar to the dream smp or aphmau's stuff, so if you're interested lmk in the comments!)


End file.
